Binocular reflecting telescope

Abstract

A binocular reflecting telescope for astronomical or terrestrial use having two telescope tubes disposed side by side. Each tube has primary concave mirrors operating as Herschelian Newtonian to direct incident light as a reflected first pencil of light rays towards a plane secondary mirror disposed adjacent a portion of the side wall of the respective tube which is also adjacent the remaining tube. Each secondary reflector reflects rays as a respective second pencil outwardly of the tube into respective eye piece. The second pencils of light rays are reflected generally in the same direction and the eye pieces are generally parallel and spaced apart at an appropriate interocular spacing to provide binocular viewing. Interocular axis extending between optical axes of eye pieces is disposed obliquely to parallel longitudinal axes of tubes to provide comfortable viewing. One tube is movable axially relative to the remaining tube to swing interocular axis to vary interocular spacing.

I claim: 
     
       1. A binocular reflecting telescope having a pair of generally similar telescope tubes disposed side by side with longitudinal axes thereof generally parallel to each other, each tube having a primary concave mirror adjacent an inner end thereof and an opening adjacent an outer end thereof to accept light from an object being viewed, each mirror being adapted to direct incident light from the object as a reflected first pencil of light rays, the telescope being further characterized by: (a) each tube having a plane diagonal secondary reflector and a respective eye piece associated therewith, each secondary reflector being positioned to intercept the respective first pencil of rays which are reflected as a respective second pencil of light rays outwardly of the tube into the respective eye piece, the second pencils of rays being reflected generally in the same direction and the eye pieces being generally parallel and spaced apart at an appropriate interocular spacing to provide binocular viewing,   (b) one tube being movable axially relative to the remaining tube so that an interocular axis extending between optical axes of each eye piece can be shifted angularly relative to the longitudinal axes of the tubes so as to vary interocular spacing between the eye pieces.   
     
     
       2. A telescope as claimed in claim 1 further characterized by: (a) the interocular axis extending between optical axes of the eye pieces being disposed obliquely to the longitudinal axes of the tubes to provide comfortable viewing.   
     
     
       3. A telescope as claimed in claim 1 further characterized by: (a) one tube being movable axially relative to the remaining tube so that the interocular axis extending between optical axes of each eye piece can be shifted angularly relative to the longitudinal axes of the tubes so as to vary interocular spacing between the eye pieces.   
     
     
       4. A telescope as claimed in claim 1 further characterized by: (a) each secondary reflector is mounted for swinging about a transverse axis disposed generally normally to longitudinal axes of the tubes, and for swinging about a swivel axis disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubes.   
     
     
       5. A telescope as claimed in claim 1 or 3 further characterized by: (a) extension means extending from the movable telescope tube to permit longitudinal forces to be applied to the movable telescope tube to cause axial sliding between the tubes so as to vary interocular spacing.   
     
     
       6. A telescope as claimed in claim 1 or 3 further characterized by: (a) a first base member, the base member being secured to a first telescope tube so as to extend from a position adjacent a lower surface of the first tube, the first base member and first telescope tube having guide means to support the remaining second tube to permit lateral sliding between the tubes.   
     
     
       7. A telescope as claimed in claim 6 further characterized by: (a) guide means adjacent opposite ends of the telescope tubes, each guide means extending from one tube and cooperating with the adjacent tube so as to permit axial sliding between the tubes whilst limiting lateral movement therebetween so as to maintain alignment of longitudinal axes of the tubes.   
     
     
       8. A telescope as claimed in claim 1 in which the primary mirror of each tube is a portion of a paraboloid disposed so as to direct the reflected first pencil of rays at an angle to the optical axis of the tube. 
     
     
       9. A telescope as claimed in claim 1 further characterized by: (a) telescope tube alignment means cooperating with the telescope tubes to permit limited angular movement between the tubes parallel to a plane containing longitudinal axes of the tubes, to permit collimation of the telescope.   
     
     
       10. A telescope as claimed in claim 6 further characterized by: (a) a second base member hinged to the first base member so as to permit rotation of the first member about a hinge axis disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axes of the telescope tubes,   (b) means to locate the first base member at a desired inclination relative to the second base member,   (c) mounting means carrying the second base member to permit swivelling of the second base member about an axis to provide equatorial mounting of the telescope.   
     
     
       11. A binocular reflecting telescope having a pair of generally similar telescope tubes disposed side by side with longitudinal axes thereof generally parallel to each other, each tube having a primary concave mirror adjacent an inner end thereof and an opening adjacent an outer end thereof to accept light from an object being viewed, each mirror being adapted to direct incident light from the object as a reflected first pencil of light rays, the telescope being further characterized by: (a) each tube having a plane diagonal secondary reflector positioned to intercept the respective first pencil of rays which are reflected as a respective second pencil of light rays outwardly of the tube, the second pencils of rays of each tube being reflected generally in the same directions,   (b) each tube having an eye piece associated with a respective secondary reflector and positioned to receive the second pencil of light rays from the respective secondary reflector, the eye pieces being generally parallel and spaced apart at an appropriate interocular spacing to provide binocular viewing, an interocular axis extending between optical axes of the eye pieces being disposed obliquely to the longitudinal axes of the tubes to provide comfortable viewing.